Why your hospital review on Yelp matters to readers
A hospital stay leaves strong impressions. Sharing those details on Yelp helps other patients size up wait times, bedside manners, billing clarity, parking, and aftercare. A short, factual note can spare a neighbor hours of guesswork and point them toward departments that actually deliver.
This guide shows you how to post a hospital review that is fair, useful, and compliant with basic privacy rules. You will learn what to include, what to skip, and the exact taps to publish from phone or desktop.
Start with the guardrails below. They draw a clean line between helpful context and content that breaks site rules or privacy laws.
Topic | Okay To Share | Skip Or Edit |
---|---|---|
Dates & times | Month/day and a rough time window. | Full timestamps, MRN, claim or policy numbers. |
Locations | Building, floor, unit, or clinic name. | Home addresses or room numbers tied to a person. |
Staff references | Roles like triage nurse or registrar. | Full names, social handles, or direct contact info. |
Medical details | What you were told to do next. | Diagnosis codes, lab values, images of reports. |
Photos | Signage, parking maps, cafeteria menus. | Faces, wristbands, charts, or any paperwork. |
Costs | Copay, estimate accuracy, payment choices. | Full card numbers, account IDs, or screenshots of bills. |
Safety | Cleanliness, alarms, fall prevention signs. | Speculation about training or intent. |
Wait times | Approximate minutes or hour blocks. | Exact shift schedules or names of patients. |
Access | Ramps, elevators, paths, seating. | Security layouts or badge-only areas. |
Language access | Interpreter availability and clarity. | Personal data of other patients in the room. |
Tech | Portal speed, app messaging response. | Screenshots with names or identifiers. |
Follow-up | How results or calls arrived. | Private phone numbers or email threads. |
Giving a Yelp review for a hospital: prep steps
Before writing, confirm the official hospital listing on Yelp and choose the exact department you visited if separate pages exist, such as emergency, imaging, or maternity. That keeps feedback tied to the right team.
Next, gather notes: visit date, time window, unit or clinic, services received, and who interacted with you by role only. Skip full names and personal contact details. Titles like “triage nurse,” “respiratory therapist,” or “billing rep” are fine.
Think about balance. List one or two things that went well along with any pain points. Readers rely on specifics over emotion, so mention concrete moments like response times, discharge instructions, and how questions were handled.
If you paid a bill, keep the invoice handy for accurate amounts and line items. If you used the patient portal, note whether messages got timely replies.
Write a Yelp hospital review: step-by-step
Open the Yelp app or yelp.com and sign in. Search the hospital name, choose the correct listing, then tap or click “Write a Review.”
Select a star rating. One star signals a poor experience, three stars signals mixed, five stars signals great.
In the first sentence, give the headline result in plain words: what you came for and how it went. Try: “ER visit on a Saturday night; triage in eight minutes; doctor visit in twenty; stitches done fast.”
In the body, move through the visit sequence in order. Use short paragraphs so phone readers can scan.
Use these five buckets to keep things complete without oversharing:
- Access & parking: signs, wheelchair access, ride-share drop point, pharmacy hours.
- Check-in & wait: desk staff tone, check-in speed, triage timing, seating, noise, cleanliness.
- Care quality: clarity of explanations, consent process, meds given, pain control, follow-up instructions.
- Costs & billing: estimate vs. final bill, item lines, insurance coordination, payment options.
- Aftercare: portal messages, nurse calls, results delivery, referrals or scheduling.
Close with a one-line takeaway and who would benefit. Try “Great for same-day imaging,” or “Fine for routine labs, but the discharge call took two tries.”
If you attach photos, limit them to public areas like signage, parking maps, or cafeteria menus. Do not include faces, wristbands, or any documents.
For platform rules, see Yelp’s Content Guidelines and the quick starter on how to write a review. For privacy rights, review the U.S. government page on HIPAA Privacy.
How to write a Yelp review for a hospital that stands out
Clarity wins. Stick to short sentences and everyday words. Readers look for repeatable facts that match their situation, not insider slang.
Use numbers when you can measure them: minutes waited, room count, parking fee, clinic hours, price of a meal, distance from transit. Numbers anchor the story and reduce dispute.
Avoid motives. Write what happened and what you did next. Avoid claims about staff intent or training. Describe behavior, not character.
Handle negatives with care. If you felt unsafe, describe the condition and the step you took, such as asking for a supervisor, filing a report, or leaving. Strong claims land best when tied to a specific action and time.
Praise also needs details. Instead of “great nurse,” write “night nurse explained meds twice and labeled the pill cup.” That helps managers learn from wins.
Photos, edits, and updates
A quick photo of a parking sign or entrance map can save locals time. Keep frames wide and avoid personal identifiers.
After posting, you can edit for clarity or add new facts from a follow-up visit. If the hospital replies, keep calm and stick to verifiable points.
If you spot content on a listing that breaks site rules, use the report tools, not comments. That channel moves items to the moderation team.
Use these prompts to jump-start your writing without drifting into private details.
Scenario | Starter Sentence | Details To Add |
---|---|---|
Emergency room | Visited ER on Sunday night; triage in ten minutes; doctor exam in twenty. | Noise level, privacy curtains, pain control, discharge steps. |
Maternity | Induction on Tuesday; nurses explained options clearly; lactation help next morning. | Room comfort, visiting hours, nursery policy, billing clarity. |
Surgery | Outpatient knee scope; pre-op nurse walked through risks; recovery nurse checked pain plan twice. | Arrival instructions, wait between stages, pharmacy pickup. |
Imaging | MRI at 7 a.m.; check-in fast; tech coached breathing cues well. | Parking, locker setup, machine noise, report delivery time. |
Clinic visit | Primary care visit for cough; vitals in five minutes; clinician reviewed meds. | Front desk flow, explanation quality, next steps. |
Billing | Estimate matched invoice within five dollars; portal let me pay in two clicks. | Line items clarity, phone wait, refund timing. |
Pediatrics | Nurse used kid-friendly words; stickers helped shots go smoother. | Check-in tone, room distractions, after-visit summary. |
Lab | Blood draw at 8 a.m.; two sticks; results posted by evening. | Signs to lab, seating, needle disposal, text alerts. |
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Posting lab results, claim numbers, photos of documents, or faces.
- Naming staff in full, tagging personal accounts, or sharing phone numbers.
- Copy-pasting the same text across multiple listings.
- Saying you were given a diagnosis without context. Describe the process, not the label.
- Writing while angry. Draft, rest, and post after cooling down.
- Threats, profanity, or slurs of any kind.
- Inviting others to leave retaliatory reviews.
Quick checklist before you hit post
- Hospital name and department are correct.
- Date range included; times rounded to the quarter hour if you remember them.
- Roles named, not full names.
- One or two positives included with any complaints.
- Specifics for access, wait, care, costs, and aftercare.
- No private info about anyone else.
- One-line takeaway that matches the star rating.
Account, posting, and removal basics
You need a Yelp account before you can post. Reviews are public on profiles.
Businesses are not allowed to ask for reviews or offer perks in exchange. If you are prompted for a reward, skip it and post normally.
Content may be filtered or removed if it breaks rules or cannot be verified. Keep proof for your records in case the platform asks questions.
If your review vanishes from the main page, it may sit in the “not currently recommended” section. Keep writing honest reviews over time; consistency helps your profile look credible.
On a phone: quick path
In the app, tap the search bar, enter the hospital name, and choose the correct city. Tap the listing, hit the star icons, and the editor opens. Type the review, attach optional photos from your gallery, and tap Post.
On a computer: quick path
Go to yelp.com, sign in, and use the search box with the hospital name and city. On the listing page, click “Write a Review,” choose stars, write your text, add photos, and click Post Review.
How to edit or remove a hospital review
Open your profile, find the review under Reviews, and choose Edit to fix typos or update facts. If you must remove it, choose Delete. Edits keep the original date stamp along with an update time on the platform.
If a manager sends a private message, you can still keep your review public. Reply with any clarifications you are comfortable sharing, then update the post if new facts resolve the issue.
If your review gets filtered
Yelp uses automated systems to sort reviews. Some land in a section labeled not currently recommended. This can happen to new accounts or to reviews with few details.
Keep writing real reviews over months, add a profile photo, and use the app to check in at places you visit. A steady history helps the system trust your activity. Avoid mass-posting or pasting the same text to different listings.
Write for readers with different needs
Mention ramps, elevators, restroom access, lactation rooms, and paths from transit stops. Note how staff handled interpreters or translated forms. Flag scents, noise levels, or bright lighting if they stood out.
Share time anchors from a typical week. Weekday mornings often look different from weekend nights. If you visited during a surge, say so. Context helps others plan.
Match your star rating to your words
Stars mean more when the text mirrors the rating. Use these cues to keep them aligned:
- 1 star: severe issue that blocked care or created risk; clear facts and times included.
- 2 stars: service delivered but with delays, confusion, or rough edges; describe the fix you tried.
- 3 stars: mixed visit with real positives and clear drawbacks; list both.
- 4 stars: smooth visit with minor misses; point to small tweaks.
- 5 stars: efficient, kind, and clear; name the touches that made it easy.
Reviewer code for hospital visits
- Be honest about your role: patient, parent, partner, or visitor.
- Write only about the visit you had. Do not post second-hand claims.
- Stick to what you saw, heard, and were told. Keep guesses out.
- Do not rate clinical decisions. Rate access, clarity, and service.
- Never post photos of charts, wristbands, or prescription labels.
- If you received charity care, state that plainly if it affects costs you mention.
When waiting to post is wiser
During a fresh dispute with billing or records, write a draft and set it aside until you hear back. Posting after you receive a reply lets you fill gaps and keeps tone measured.
If you are in a legal complaint or insurance appeal, share only neutral steps and timeline. Skip case numbers and private letters.
Words to avoid in a hospital review
- Accusations of crimes or violations. Describe the event instead.
- Medical labels or test results tied to a person.
- Unverified rumors about staff credentials.
- Salary or personal contact info for staff.
- Threats of lawsuits or demands for money.
Make your review easy to trust
Use real visit markers: date, unit, and the steps you took. Readers can picture the flow and plan their own route through the building.
Keep screenshots off the platform. If you need to store proof, keep it on your device. Your review should stand on words and public photos only.
Return later if service improves or declines. Fresh notes help neighbors make smarter choices.